Portugal gears up for presidential elections

Описание: (5 Jan 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lisbon – 31 December 2025
1. Various of center-right presidential candidate Luis Marques Mendes at pre-campaign event at a local market ahead of New Year’s Eve
2. Wide of market
3. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Luis Marques Mendes, Presidential candidate supported by PSD (Social Democrats):
“After the televised debates I have felt greater support from the population regrading my candidacy, so I felt that there has been a considerate and significant increase of support, so people are very nice and generous with me, I would say I end the year well.”
4.Wide of Mendes speaking with reporters

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lisbon – 2 January 2026
5. Various of André Ventura, leader of the opposition party Chega and presidential candidate arriving to a pre-campaign initiative at a homeless support center
6. Close of sign reading CASA "Center of support for the homeless”
7. Wide of Ventura speaking with reporters
8. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) André Ventura, Presidential candidate and leader of Chega party (radical right wing and main opposition party):
“We have received great support, but I keep repeating this message, nothing is won, we need to vote on the 18th of January to go to a second run and then another battle will begin to win the elections. At this point the polls are giving us between 20 and 23 per cent on this first run off which is very positive, considering the current fragmentation.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lisbon – 4 January 2026
9. Various of retired Rear-Admiral Gouveia e Melo and supporters on first official day of campaigning
10. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Henrique Gouveia e Melo, Presidential candidate, independent:
“I have spoken with several Portuguese, we need to have a sense of community. There is no Portugal progressing with only half or 20 per cent of the Portuguese, that would be terrible. Portugal needs to move forward with all the Portuguese, all united, with all and for all of the Portuguese, we need a more prosperous economy but with social cohesion.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lisbon – 4 January 2026
11. Various of full room listening to Antonio Jose Seguro, candidate supported by the Socialist Party, on first official day of campaigning
12. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) António José Seguro, Presidential candidate supported by the Socialist Party:
“In this election there is a political detail that is essential, the democratic space on the left or center left is under the risk of not having a candidate on the second run and that would have profound consequences not for parties, but for country and for the democratic balance.”
13. Wide of room
14. Seguro on stage
STORYLINE:
A record number of 11 candidates in Portugal's upcoming presidential election kicked off their campaigns on Sunday.

The official two-week campaign period preceding the Jan. 18 election will see the contenders competing to capture voters' support.

However, the broad field makes it unlikely that any candidate will capture more than 50% of the vote, leaving the two top candidates to compete in a runoff ballot on Feb. 8.

Among the frontrunners, according to recent opinion polls, are the candidates from the country’s two main parties that have alternated in power for the past 50 years: Luís Marques Mendes from the center-right Social Democratic Party, currently in government, and António José Seguro of the center-left Socialist Party.


In Portugal, the president is largely a figurehead with no executive power.

Mostly, the head of state aims to stand above the political fray, refereeing disputes to defuse tensions.














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